Maximum stopping power is desirable in small arms ammunition utilized for hunting, personal protection, and law enforcement. Stopping power correlates to energy transfer from the bullet to the fluidic target which is associated with maximizes damage to the target. Conventional handgun ammunition, for personal protection and law enforcement may often be designed to “upset” or “mushroom” upon impact thereby presenting an enhanced surface area to the fluidic target and thereby the projectile will often dissipate its entire energy in the target while generating a significant wound cavity. Other ammunition may rely upon the bullet tumbling upon entering the target to cause maximum damage or injury and that dissipates the bullets energy and generates a significant wound cavity. Bullets that remain intact and do not tumble in a target often pass through the target reducing damage or injury to the target and may create a hazard to personnel behind the intended target. Other known ammunition have bullets that fragment, such fragmentation in small arms has been disfavored as smaller fragments may be inconsistent in the damage they inflict upon targets and often have a reduced wound cavities. Efforts have been made to prevent fragmentation of mushrooming bullets as such was deemed disadvantageous. One advantage to fragmenting projectiles is that fragments that disperse from the direct bullet path provide a greater chance of hitting a vital component in a soft fluidic target that is displaced from the direct bullet path.
Any improvement to the stopping power of small arms ammunition would be welcome by consumers and law enforcement.